E. T. A. Hoffmann – Die lustigen Musikanten

THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF E. T. A. HOFFMANN’S BIRTH

★★★★✰

   Writer, jurist, and... forgotten composer – E.T.A. Hoffmann chased musical genius his entire life, leaving behind a trail of lost scores and revolutionary ideas that shaped early Romanticism. Through the exploration of his fascinating musical biography and the Warsaw mystery of his missing sheet music, attention is drawn to an exceptional album release that has saved his work from obscurity.
   E.T.A. Hoffmann was born on January 24, 1776, in Königsberg. The capital of East Prussia was a port city with rich traditions dating back to the times of the state of the Teutonic Order and its affiliation with the Hansa. From its founding in 1255, thanks to external security and vibrant trade relations, the city of Königsberg quickly achieved a prominent position among the centers of European civilization. This city with its famous Castle and Albertina University became the place where Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann was born and raised.
   Shaped by his time at Königsberg University, the lectures of Immanuel Kant, and the Sturm und Drang poets, the future composer viewed the world from a universalist perspective. Cultural diversity was a natural state of mind, and questions of identity did not occupy his attention. He focused rather on individual freedom and the creative calling of individuals. As a writer, he opened new creative perspectives, paving the way for fantasy literature. As a composer, he created in the style of his era, although despite technical adherence to the models of the classical Viennese School, his compositions reveal some signs of the emerging Romanticism. Stage works are particularly important from this point of view, and the fantasy opera Undine (composed in 1816) should be considered the first romantic opera.

E. T. A. Hoffmann – Die lustigen Musikanten (1984)

   The Singspiel Die lustigen Musikanten (The Merry Musicians) is the composer's second work for stage. The first was the Singspiel Die Maske, written by Hoffmann in 1799 to his own libretto. Five years after The Mask, the 28-year-old composer created music for a two-act play by Clemens von Brentano. The premiere, prepared by a theatre company in Warsaw led by Wojciech Bogusławski, took place on April 5, 1805. The composer was still unknown, and the play, despite favorable reviews, had a very short run. Four years later Hoffmann hoped to re-stage his Singspiel in Bamberg, but he discovered that the orchestral parts had disappeared. They were discovered in Warsaw several years after the composer's death.
   The premiere recording of excerpts from this work was published in 1984 by Schwann Musica Mundi in Germany. The selection includes three instrumental pieces: Overture, Interlude (Zwischenaktmusik), and Prelude to Act II, as well as eight pieces: arias, duets, and ensembles featuring the principal performers. Sopranos Verena Schweizer (Fabiola) and Judith Schmidt (Azelle), bass Klaus Lang (Piast), and tenor Thomas Schulze (Ramiro) provided a solid interpretation of the text and a balanced performance of the score. Four soloists perfectly fit this short version of Hoffmann’s composition. Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin conducted by Lothar Zagrosek delivers a pleasant and clear sound balance. The recording made on August 23-25, 1983 at Jesus-Christus-Kirche in Berlin and pressed in direct metal mastering technology gives readable and clear sound. This recording is an important addition to the still limited catalogue of recordings of E. T. A. Hoffmann's music.